SINGAPORE - The closure of mosques in Singapore addresses immediate issues to curb the spread of the coronavirus, said Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Transport Janil Puthucheary.
He added that the move, which started on Friday (March 13), would help protect Singaporeans as well as healthcare institutions.
Speaking to reporters on Friday on the sidelines of a Muslim community workgroup meeting which he is co-chairing, Dr Janil said: "Some of the issues are very immediate, to try to break the cycle of transmission from one person to the next.
"This is really very important because we have to protect our critical healthcare infrastructure and reduce the number of cases multiplying."
For the first time in Singapore's history, all 70 mosques islandwide were closed on Friday and congregational prayers cancelled to allow them to be cleaned further to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
This came after two Singaporeans who attended a mass religious gathering in Selangor late last month were infected. About 90 Singaporeans had attended the gathering, and some are frequent congregants at different mosques in Singapore.
On Friday, Muis said that the community workgroup that Dr Janil is part of was convened by Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli in response to the Covid-19 situation.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health Amrin Amin is also in the 18-member group, which includes medical professionals and religious leaders.
"The group will actively support engagement efforts in disseminating religious guidance and health advisories to the Muslim community," said Muis.
"Among others, the workgroup will identify possible gaps and implement targeted operational measures to mitigate as well as contain community spread."
On Thursday, Muis said that the closure of all mosques is aimed at preventing the emergence of a cluster of Covid-19 cases.
It added that all mosque activities, such as lectures and religious classes, will be cancelled till March 27. A review will be done on Monday on the state of hygiene and cleanliness at mosques before they are re-opened.
Muis said communal activities, like congregational prayers, may expose mosque-goers to the virus from individuals who may not know that they are infected.
Despite the closure, some worshippers still gathered outside a few mosques for prayers on Friday. They were not allowed in.
At mosques like the Sultan Mosque in the Bugis area and the Hasanah Mosque in Teban Gardens, notices were placed outside to inform the faithful about the closures.
Mosques like the An-Nur Mosque in Marsiling stationed asatizah, or religious teachers, outside the mosques to explain the reasons for the closures.
The fatwa committee, which gives religious guidance to Muslims here, has approved the closures and suspension of Friday prayers in the interest of public health and safety.
Its chairman, Singapore Mufti Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, posted on his Instagram account on Thursday that the decision was not easy and was something that Muis had not hoped to do, but it was a necessary move.
"Play your part in protecting society and we shall be strong together as one," he wrote.
